PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

Last updated
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
Awarded for Fiction
Sponsored by PEN/Faulkner Foundation
Country United States
Website penfaulkner.org

The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is awarded annually by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation to the authors of the year's best works of fiction by living Americans, Green Card holders or permanent residents. [1] [2] The winner receives US$15,000 and each of four runners-up receives US$5000. Judges read citations for each of the finalists' works at the presentation ceremony in Washington, D.C.. The organization claims it to be "the largest peer-juried award in the country." [1] The award was first given in 1981. [3]

Contents

Mary Lee Settle was one of the founders of the PEN/Faulkner Award following the controversy at the 1979 National Book Award, when PEN America voted for a boycott on the grounds that the award had become too commercial. [3] [4]

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

1980s

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction winners, 1981–1989 [5] [6]
YearAuthorTitleResult
1981 Walter Abish How German Is It Winner
Shirley Hazzard The Transit of Venus Shortlist
Walker Percy The Second Coming Shortlist
Gilbert Sorrentino Aberration of StarlightShortlist
John Kennedy Toole A Confederacy of Dunces Shortlist
1982 David Bradley The Chaneysville Incident Winner
Donald Barthelme Sixty Stories Shortlist
Richard Bausch Take Me BackShortlist
Mark Helprin Ellis Island and Other StoriesShortlist
Marilynne Robinson Housekeeping Shortlist
Robert Stone A Flag for SunriseShortlist
1983 Toby Olson Seaview Winner
Maureen Howard Grace AboundingShortlist
Bobbie Ann Mason Shiloh and Other Stories Shortlist
George Steiner The Portage to San Cristobal of A.H. Shortlist
Anne Tyler Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Shortlist
William S. Wilson BirthplaceShortlist
1984 John Edgar Wideman Sent for You Yesterday Winner
Ron Hansen The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Shortlist
William Kennedy Ironweed Shortlist
Jamaica Kincaid At the Bottom of the River Shortlist
Bernard Malamud The StoriesShortlist
Cynthia Ozick The Cannibal GalaxyShortlist
1985 Tobias Wolff The Barracks Thief Winner
Harriet Doerr Stones for IbarraShortlist
Donald Hays The Dixie AssociationShortlist
David Leavitt Family DancingShortlist
James Purdy On Glory's CourseShortlist
1986 Peter Taylor The Old Forest and Other StoriesWinner
William Gaddis Carpenter's Gothic Shortlist
Larry McMurtry Lonesome Dove Shortlist
Hugh Nissenson The Tree of LifeShortlist
Helen Norris The Christmas Wife: StoriesShortlist
Grace Paley Later the Same DayShortlist
1987 Richard Wiley Soldiers in Hiding Winner
Richard Ford The Sportswriter Shortlist
Maureen Howard Expensive HabitsShortlist
Charles R. Johnson The Sorcerer's ApprenticeShortlist
Janet Kauffman CollaboratorsShortlist
1988 T. C. Boyle World's EndWinner
Richard Bausch Spirits, And Other StoriesShortlist
Alice McDermott That Night Shortlist
Cynthia Ozick The Messiah of StockholmShortlist
Lawrence Thornton Imagining Argentina Shortlist
1989 James Salter Dusk and Other StoriesWinner
Mary McGarry Morris VanishedShortlist
Thomas Savage The Corner of Rife and PacificShortlist
Isaac Bashevis Singer The Death of Methuselah and Other StoriesShortlist

1990s

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction winners, 1990–1999 [5] [6]
YearAuthorTitleResultRef.
1990 E. L. Doctorow Billy Bathgate Winner
Russell Banks AfflictionShortlist
Molly Gloss The Jump-Off CreekShortlist
Josephine Jacobsen On the Island: New and Selected StoriesShortlist
Lynne Sharon Schwartz Leaving BrooklynShortlist
1991 John Edgar Wideman Philadelphia Fire Winner
Paul Auster The Music of Chance Shortlist
Joanne Meschery A Gentleman's Guide to the FrontierShortlist
Steven Millhauser The Barnum Museum Shortlist
Joanna Scott ArroganceShortlist
1992 Don DeLillo Mao II Winner
Stephen Dixon FrogShortlist
Paul Gervais Extraordinary PeopleShortlist
Allan Gurganus White People Shortlist
1993 E. Annie Proulx Postcards Winner
Francisco Goldman The Long Night of White ChickensShortlist
Maureen Howard Natural HistoryShortlist
Robert Olen Butler A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain Shortlist
Sylvia Watanabe Talking to the Dead
1994 Philip Roth Operation Shylock Winner
Stanley Elkin Van Gogh's Room at ArlesShortlist
Dagoberto Gilb The Magic of Blood Shortlist
Fae Myenne Ng BoneShortlist
Kate Wheeler Not Where I Started FromShortlist
1995 David Guterson Snow Falling on Cedars Winner
Frederick Busch The Children in the WoodsShortlist
Joyce Carol Oates What I Lived ForShortlist
Ursula Hegi Stones from the River Shortlist
Joanna Scott Various AntidotesShortlist
1996 Richard Ford Independence Day Winner [7]
William H. Gass The Tunnel Shortlist
Claire Messud When The World Was SteadyShortlist
Madison Smartt Bell All Souls' RisingShortlist
A. J. Verdelle The Good NegressShortlist
1997 Gina Berriault Women in Their Beds Winner
Daniel Akst St. Burl's ObituaryShortlist
Kathleen Cambor The Book of Mercy Shortlist
Ron Hansen Atticus Shortlist
Jamaica Kincaid The Autobiography of My MotherShortlist
1998 Rafi Zabor The Bear Comes Home Winner
Donald Antrim The Hundred Brothers Shortlist
Rilla Askew The Mercy SeatShortlist
Mary Gaitskill Because They Wanted ToShortlist
Francisco Goldman The Ordinary SeamanShortlist
1999 Michael Cunningham The Hours Winner
Russell Banks Cloudsplitter Shortlist
Barbara Kingsolver The Poisonwood Bible Shortlist
Brian Morton Starting Out in the EveningShortlist
Richard Selzer The Doctor StoriesShortlist

2000s

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction winners, 2000–2009 [5] [6]
YearAuthorTitleResultRef.
2000 Ha Jin Waiting Winner
Frederick Busch The Night InspectorShortlist
Ken Kalfus Pu-239 And Other Russian FantasiesShortlist
Elizabeth Strout Amy and Isabelle Shortlist
Lily Tuck Siam, or the Woman Who Shot a ManShortlist
2001 Philip Roth The Human Stain Winner
Michael Chabon The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay Shortlist
Millicent Dillon Harry GoldShortlist
Denis Johnson The Name of the World Shortlist
Mona Simpson Off Keck RoadShortlist
2002 Ann Patchett Bel Canto Winner
Karen Joy Fowler Sister NoonShortlist
Jonathan Franzen The Corrections Shortlist
Claire Messud The HuntersShortlist
Manil Suri The Death of Vishnu Shortlist
2003 Sabina Murray The Caprices Winner
Peter Cameron The City of Your Final DestinationShortlist
William Kennedy Roscoe Shortlist
Victor LaValle The EcstaticShortlist
Gilbert Sorrentino Little CasinoShortlist
2004 John Updike The Early Stories: 1953-1975 Winner
Frederick Barthelme Elroy NightsShortlist
ZZ Packer Drinking Coffee Elsewhere Shortlist
Caryl Phillips A Distant Shore Shortlist
Tobias Wolff Old School Shortlist
2005 Ha Jin War Trash Winner
Jerome Charyn The Green LanternShortlist
Edwidge Danticat The Dew Breaker Shortlist
Marilynne Robinson Gilead Shortlist
Steve Yarbrough Prisoners of WarShortlist
2006 E. L. Doctorow The March Winner
Karen FisherA Sudden CountryShortlist
William Henry LewisI Got Somebody in StauntonShortlist
James Salter Last NightShortlist
Bruce Wagner The Chrysanthemum PalaceShortlist
2007 Philip Roth Everyman Winner [8]
Charles D'Ambrosio The Dead Fish MuseumShortlist
Deborah Eisenberg Twilight of the SuperheroesShortlist
Amy Hempel The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel Shortlist
Edward P. Jones All Aunt Hagar's Children Shortlist
2008 Kate Christensen The Great Man Winner [9]
Annie Dillard The Maytrees Shortlist
David Leavitt The Indian Clerk Shortlist
T. M. McNally The GatewayShortlist
Ron Rash Chemistry and Other StoriesShortlist
2009 Joseph O'Neill Netherland Winner [10]
Sarah Shun-lien Bynum Ms. Hempel ChroniclesShortlist
Susan Choi A Person of Interest Shortlist [11]
Richard Price Lush Life Shortlist
Ron Rash Serena Shortlist

2010s

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction winners, 2010–2019 [6]
YearAuthorTitleResultRef.
2010 Sherman Alexie War Dances Winner [12] [5]
Barbara Kingsolver The Lacuna Shortlist
Lorraine Lopéz Homicide Survivors PicnicShortlist
Lorrie Moore A Gate at the Stairs Shortlist
Colson Whitehead Sag Harbor Shortlist
2011 Deborah Eisenberg The Collected Stories of Deborah EisenbergWinner [13] [5]
Jennifer Egan A Visit from the Goon Squad Shortlist [14]
Jaimy Gordon Lord of Misrule Shortlist [14]
Eric Puchner Model HomeShortlist [14]
Brad Watson Aliens in the Prime of Their Lives: StoriesShortlist [14]
2012 Julie Otsuka The Buddha in the Attic Winner [15] [5]
Russell Banks Lost Memory of SkinShortlist [15] [16]
Don DeLillo The Angel Esmeralda Shortlist [15] [16]
Anita Desai The Artist of Disappearance Shortlist [15] [16]
Steven Millhauser We Others: New and Selected Stories Shortlist [15] [16]
2013 Benjamin Alire Sáenz Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club Winner [17] [5]
Amelia Gray THREATSShortlist [18]
Laird Hunt Kind OneShortlist [18]
T. Geronimo Johnson Hold It 'Til It HurtsShortlist [18]
Thomas Mallon WatergateShortlist [18]
2014 Karen Joy Fowler We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves Winner [19]
Daniel Alarcón At Night We Walk in Circles Shortlist [20]
Percival Everett Percival Everett by Virgil RussellShortlist [20]
Joan Silber FoolsShortlist [20]
Valerie Trueblood Search Party: Stories of RescueShortlist [20]
2015 Atticus Lish Preparation for the Next Life Winner [21] [22]
Jeffrey Renard Allen Song of the Shank Shortlist [23]
Jennifer Clement Prayers for the StolenShortlist [23]
Jenny Offill Dept. of Speculation Shortlist [23]
Emily St. John Mandel Station Eleven Shortlist [23]
2016 James Hannaham Delicious FoodsWinner [24] [25]
Julie Iromuanya Mr. and Mrs. DoctorShortlist [26]
Viet Thanh Nguyen The Sympathizer Shortlist [26]
Elizabeth Tallent Mendocino Fire: StoriesShortlist [26]
Luis Alberto Urrea The Water Museum: StoriesShortlist [26]
2017 Imbolo Mbue Behold the Dreamers Winner [27] [28]
Viet DinhAfter DisastersShortlist [29]
Louise Erdrich LaRose Shortlist [29]
Garth Greenwell What Belongs to YouShortlist [29]
Sunil Yapa Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a FistShortlist [29]
2018 Joan Silber ImprovementWinner [30] [31]
Hernán Diaz In the Distance Shortlist [32]
Samantha Hunt The Dark DarkShortlist [32]
Achy Obejas The Tower of the AntillesShortlist [32]
Jesmyn Ward Sing, Unburied, Sing Shortlist [32]
2019 Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi Call Me ZebraWinner [33]
Blanche McCrary Boyd Tomb of the Unknown RacistShortlist
Richard Powers The Overstory Shortlist
Ivelisse Rodriguez Love War StoriesShortlist
Willy Vlautin Don't Skip Out on MeShortlist

2020s

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction winners, 2020–2029 [6]
YearAuthorTitleResultRef.
2020 Chloe Aridjis Sea MonstersWinner [34]
Yiyun Li Where Reasons End Shortlist [35]
Peter Rock The Night SwimmersShortlist
Maurice Carlos Ruffin We Cast a ShadowShortlist
Ocean Vuong On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous Shortlist
2021 Deesha Philyaw The Secret Lives of Church Ladies Winner [36] [37]
Matthew Salesses Disappear Doppelgänger DisappearShortlist [38]
Rufi Thorpe The Knockout QueenShortlist
Robin Wasserman Mother Daughter Widow WifeShortlist
Steve Wiegenstein Scattered LightsShortlist
2022 Rabih Alameddine The Wrong End of the TelescopeWinner [39] [40] [41] [42]
Nawaaz Ahmed Radiant FugitivesShortlist [43]
Carolyn Ferrell Dear Miss MetropolitanShortlist
Imbolo Mbue How Beautiful We Were Shortlist
Carolina de Robertis The President and the FrogShortlist
2023 Yiyun Li The Book of Goose Winner [44] [45]
Jonathan Escoffery If I Survive You Shortlist [44]
Laura Warrell Sweet, Soft, Plenty RhythmShortlist
Dionne Irving The IslandsShortlist
Kathryn Harlan Fruiting Bodies: StoriesShortlist
2024 Claire Jiménez What Happened to Ruthy RamirezWinner [46]
Jamel Brinkley WitnessShortlist [44]
Henry Hoke Open ThroatShortlist
Alice McDermott AbsolutionShortlist
Colin Winnette UsersShortlist
2025 Garth Greenwell Small RainWinner [47]
Percival Everett James Shortlist [48]
Danzy Senna Colored TelevisionShortlist
Pemi Aguda Ghostroots Shortlist
Susan Muaddi Darraj Behind You Is the SeaShortlist

References

  1. 1 2 "Award for Fiction". PEN/Faulkner Foundation. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  2. Stochl, Emily (November 2, 2020). "Citizenship is an Outdated Requirement for Literary Prize Eligibility". bookriot.com. Book Riot. Archived from the original on December 28, 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 Albin Krebs and Robert Thomas (April 18, 1981). "Notes on People; New York Writer Getting PEN/Faulkner Award". The New York Times . Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  4. Matt Schudel (September 29, 2005). "Novelist Mary Lee Settle; Founded PEN/Faulkner Award". Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Past Winners & Finalists". PEN/Faulkner. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
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  7. "Richard Ford Wins Library of Congress American Fiction Prize". Shelf Awareness . May 20, 2019. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  8. "Awards: Philip Roth First Three-Time PEN/Faulkner Winner". Shelf Awareness . February 27, 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  9. "Awards: PEN/Faulkner; Astrid Lindgren; Arabic Booker". Shelf Awareness . March 13, 2008. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
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  36. "Deesha Philyaw receives PEN/Faulkner award for 'Secret Lives of Church Ladies'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
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  41. Yee, Katie (April 5, 2022). "Rabih Alameddine takes home the 2022 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction". Literary Hub. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
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  43. "Awards: Joyce Carol Oates, PEN/Faulkner Fiction Finalists". Shelf Awareness . March 4, 2022. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
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